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OVERVIEW

Inspired by phonograph records, Weather Record is a drawing machine that writes real-time temperature data onto a circular card stock. The device receives temperature data from the web and moves its arm inwards as the temperature lowers or outwards as the temperature increases to match the current reading for the chosen location. This creates an abstract pattern representing the temperature conditions during the period in which the machine was running. The drawing machine was first unveiled on December 6 2012 at Ryerson University, when it recorded the weather conditions in Toronto for a straight 24-hour period.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Weather Record is an attempt to abstract weather and turn it into a tangible object that creates a parallel with different types of recording. By printing temperaute onto a circular disc, it is possible to turn weather data into visual patterns and drawings that are unique for each day of the year. It also becomes possible to visually compare discs for different days in history as ways to visually demonstrate temperature changes in an unconventional and visually striking method.

TECHNICAL INFO

The device uses an Arduino controller to connect to the internet and run the motors that spin the disc and move the arm. The writing arm uses a compass lead to record the temperature and is changed daily during the exhibit. The machine can be configured to record real-time or pre-recorded data from any place in the globe as necessary, and can be left running for days in order to record any time period ranging from a few hours to multiple weeks.

ARTISTS

Felipe Scarpelli, KJ Chabra, Wesley Chan